Research Grants

The University of Wyoming’s Biodiversity Institute (BI) fosters the understanding, appreciation, and conservation of biological diversity through research, education, and outreach. The success of mission of the BI is dependent on its close collaboration with units, students and faculty in the University of Wyoming. The Biodiversity Institutes Grants Program aims to catalyze excellence in biodiversity research. We take a broad view of biodiversity research, and include all levels of analysis (genetic, phylogenetic, functional, and ecological) and encompass all taxa. Although the BI’s focus is on Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain region, it aims to have a global reach.

This program provides financial support for University of Wyoming undergraduate and graduate students conducting innovative and high-impact research projects that address important topics in biodiversity scholarship. The research proposals that are funded will be directly concerned with biological diversity, but not necessarily restricted to the natural sciences, and are for students' own independent research ideas

The Request for Proposals for 2017 is CLOSED

Exploration and understanding of biodiversity doesn't only come through the study of proteins and photosynthesis - much of it comes from what we observe and portray as a result! The Biodiversity in Art Grant program provides funding for cross-disciplinary projects that advance the research and depiction of biodiversity through art, including visual and written.

The Request for Proposals for 2017 is CLOSED

Special Grant Announcements:

A CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR FUNDING BY THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING BIODIVERSITY INSTITUTE

A call for proposals

June 2017

The University of Wyoming’s Biodiversity Institute (BI) fosters the understanding, appreciation, and conservation of biological diversity through research, education, and outreach. The success of the BI depends on close collaboration with units and faculty in the University of Wyoming. This solicitation is to fund University of Wyoming research to advance the core mission of the BI.

Proposals submitted for consideration under this solicitation must meet the following criteria:

1) Scientific investigation of the components, patterns, processes, or trends in the biological diversity of the Rocky Mountain region. This region is defined broadly as New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Utah and Arizona, and potentially encompasses portions of adjacent states.

2) Demonstrated relevance to conservation policy and land management in the Rocky Mountain Region, and a clear plan to engage such entities.

3) An innovative broader impacts and educational component.

Beyond these requirements, this solicitation places no constraint on the taxa, system, elements, or processes investigated by proposed projects.

UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING BIODIVERSITY INSTITUTE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP: RAPTORS IN WYOMING AND THE WEST

A call for proposals

June 2017

The University of Wyoming’s Biodiversity Institute (BI) fosters the understanding, appreciation, and conservation of biological diversity through research, education, and outreach. The success of the BI depends on close collaboration with scientists and natural resource practitioners throughout the state and region. This solicitation is to fund personnel external to the BI to advance the unit’s core mission, with a particular focus on raptors in Wyoming and the region.

Wyoming is a stronghold for raptor populations in western North America. While surrounding states have experienced declines in many species, the relatively undisturbed landscapes of Wyoming allow many populations of raptors to thrive. Nonetheless, Wyoming raptors face several challenges. The BI recognizes a need for an effective summary of the state-of-science regarding raptors in the region, with special attention to questions of most importance to land and wildlife managers and policy-makers, to advance effective and efficient conservation.

It may be that some questions of high priority to raptor conservation have already been answered by scientists, but that information is not accessible for efficient application by managers and policy-makers. It is also possible that other important questions could be addressed relatively quickly with novel research, but have not yet been clearly identified as priorities to the research community. These possibilities are embedded in a dynamic research and management environment, with several ongoing research efforts, working groups, and management consortia developing information and addressing different parts of the raptor conservation picture simultaneously.

The BI will provide funds to support a researcher to investigate and clarify this complex scene, with the main goals of: (1) identifying important issues of applied raptor ecology that already have strong scientific understanding; (2) synthesizing that information in effective ways for application by managers and policy-makers; (3) identifying other priority questions that could, if addressed through novel research, advance raptor management and conservation in the near term; and (4) discover and present opportunities for synergy among ongoing raptor conservation and management efforts.

Requirements and Eligibility: All persons with an MS or Ph.D. degree in wildlife biology, ecology, environmental science, or similar fields are eligible to apply. Preference will be given to those with experience researching and working with raptors, especially in the Rocky Mountain region. The precise format in which funding will be applied to the awardee will be jointly determined between the BI and the awardee based on the latter’s employment situation.

Submission Deadline and Notification: Deliver full proposals via email to Dr. Brian Barber at bbarber4@uwyo.edu by 5 p.m. SMT, 1 August 2017. Notification of awards is expected by 1 September 2017.

Duration of Work: Funds will be available by September 2017 and must be expended by March 2019. Start date is anticipated by January 2018 at the latest.

Estimated Amount, Number, and Intent of Awards: The award is contingent on availability of funds and the quality of proposals. We anticipate 1 award to support ca. 12 months of salary and fringe benefits for the applicant, plus $10,000 in research support (e.g., cost of supplies, travel, publishing). Total amount is estimated at $53,000 - $76,000 depending on applicant experience and education. The award is to directly support the work of the applicant on the goals described in this solicitation – subcontracting or otherwise committing the funds to other participants is not acceptable unless clearly discussed with and approved by the BI.

Proposal Processing and Review: Proposals that meet the requirements set forth in this solicitation will be reviewed by BI staff, who will make the final decision on the award.

Proposal Preparation and Format: Proposal must include (1) a letter of interest (2 pages max), (2) a CV, and (3) 3 letters of recommendation.

Note: The format and nature of deliverables (e.g., peer-reviewed publications, technical summary reports, spatially-explicit models, online tools or databases) produced by this work will depend on the results of initial investigation into ongoing raptor research, active working groups, and similar information development efforts. The awardee is therefore expected to work closely with BI staff to structure the work into appropriate phases, and present phase results to the group in order to conceptualize and produce useful end products.

The Biodiversity Institute

The mission of the Biodiversity Institute is to foster the understanding, appreciation and conservation of biological diversity through innovative research, education, and outreach, and by engaging a broad audience in the scientific process.

The Biodiversity Institute works with scientists, resource managers, educators, and the public to further the understanding and conservation of biodiversity. We seek to provide a unique service to Wyoming and beyond by facilitating collaborative research projects, synthesizing and disseminating research, distributing grants, and providing educational, outreach, and citizen science programs for students and the public.